Perk to Cleveland

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Let's see how swollen it is after Thursday.
Look, yes, they looked like a machine tonight, but most nights everything you throw up from behind the arc, doesn't go in.
Hell, if I'm the Mavs, I'm thrilled that when the game was close that James was satisfied launching 3's.
You just tip your cap and move on.

They won't be able to play like that against the Spurs or the Griz if they make it to the Finals.

Both those squads have guys that can guard Bron. Nobody is gonna stop him. But, they can slow him down and make him work on both sides of the court.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I mean they destroyed my Clippers. But, I agree this was about the most balanced, and lethal, game that I have seen from them this Season.

The game against the Warriors was more about Lebron being so dominant.

This win was about the Team.

Looks like the East will be exciting come playoff time.

it still cracks me up that 2 months ago people were saying that the Cavs were hopeless, Love is definitely going to leave, LeBron probably will leave, Blatt should be fired- Toronto and WAshington would beat them in a series, they were panicking with their moves, their moves were not any good....a lot of alarmists were out there.

 

[WiggyRuss]

They won't be able to play like that against the Spurs or the Griz if they make it to the Finals.

Both those squads have guys that can guard Bron. Nobody is gonna stop him. But, they can slow him down and make him work on both sides of the court.

Leonard and Allen are two of the better matchups against LeBron in the league- that is for sure....possibly the 2 best really when you think of it.

I am looking forward to this Spurs game. The last game against the Spurs was early in the season, Blatt got abused- and the Cavs really got hosed on a few calls down the stretch. The Spurs are playing great right now- as are the Cavs....should be fun

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

it still cracks me up that 2 months ago people were saying that the Cavs were hopeless, Love is definitely going to leave, LeBron probably will leave, Blatt should be fired- Toronto and WAshington would beat them in a series, they were panicking with their moves, their moves were not any good....a lot of alarmists were out there.

Yeah, I was one of them....lol

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Leonard and Allen are two of the better matchups against LeBron in the league- that is for sure....possibly the 2 best really when you think of it.

I am looking forward to this Spurs game. The last game against the Spurs was early in the season, Blatt got abused- and the Cavs really got hosed on a few calls down the stretch. The Spurs are playing great right now- as are the Cavs....should be fun

Yeah, Kawhi looked great tonight.

So, it should be a good game.....as long as Pop doesn't decide to rest his starters.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

it still cracks me up that 2 months ago people were saying that the Cavs were hopeless, Love is definitely going to leave, LeBron probably will leave, Blatt should be fired- Toronto and WAshington would beat them in a series, they were panicking with their moves, their moves were not any good....a lot of alarmists were out there.

If both James and Love are looking for the giant 2016 payday, then obviously neither is leaving after this season.
They both can get the most cash from the Cavs next year on a 1 year.
However, IF, there isn't championship won by the end of next year, then I would strongly suspect that Love is gone, and wouldn't be the least bit surprised if James/Nike look for one more giant cash in campaign while he is still somewhat in his prime.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Yeah, I was one of them....lol

trust me- i felt pretty low at some points- but especially in that late December/early January swoon- Varejao had just been lost for the year,they traded away Waiters, LeBron missed the most time he has ever missed in an NBA season, Kyrie had some knee issues and missed some games, Love had a bad back that reduced him to basically being Matt Bonner for few weeks, Blatt was struggling to adapt and between all the movement and injuries couldnt find a stable rotation.

Just about everything that could go wrong- did go wrong for that 2-3 week stretch.

They were just too talented- and then added all that depth through the trades- to really think that a team like the Wizards could actually beat the CAvs in a playoff series. I mean that ludicrous.....The Bulls? ofcourse have a shot? - how the Hawks have played? it would be silly to discount them at this point.....but there was never atime when the Cavs were anything less than the 3rd best team in the EAst at their lowest point for anyone looking towards the playoffs.

 

[WiggyRuss]

If both James and Love are looking for the giant 2016 payday, then obviously neither is leaving after this season.
They both can get the most cash from the Cavs next year on a 1 year.
However, IF, there isn't championship won by the end of next year, then I would strongly suspect that Love is gone, and wouldn't be the least bit surprised if James/Nike look for one more giant cash in campaign while he is still somewhat in his prime.

forgive me if your opinion on James is way too shaded...as you were the guy that said there was no way in hell he would ever go back to Cleveland.....

LeBron is not going anywhere.....If Love is winning big its highly doubtful he goes anywhere as long as the Cavs decide they want to pay him the max amount they can.

 

[WiggyRuss]

i saw tonight that Rondo is shooting like 30% from the free throw line!....yes that is correct- not at typo...how is that even possible?

has there ever been a hack-a-guard strategy employed in the NBA? LOL.....YAH trade RW for Rondo...wouldve been GREAT , LOL

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

forgive me if your opinion on James is way too shaded...as you were the guy that said there was no way in hell he would ever go back to Cleveland.....

LeBron is not going anywhere.....If Love is winning big its highly doubtful he goes anywhere as long as the Cavs decide they want to pay him the max amount they can.

I actually said that James would never play for Gilbert again.
And, in reality, he isn't and never will play for Gilbert.
He was in essence, given free reign to control the teams decision making in every aspect.
He is playing for himself. Gilbert just gets some financial reward which is funny, because he's a billionaire caving into a millionaire.

And before you go into some long winded rebuttal, remember, he allowed T.T. to reject 52M/4.

Nothing more need be said.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

i saw tonight that Rondo is shooting like 30% from the free throw line!....yes that is correct- not at typo...how is that even possible?

has there ever been a hack-a-guard strategy employed in the NBA? LOL.....YAH trade RW for Rondo...wouldve been GREAT , LOL

Talk about a move that backfired.
Rondo has been horrible.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

forgive me if your opinion on James is way too shaded...as you were the guy that said there was no way in hell he would ever go back to Cleveland.....

LeBron is not going anywhere.....If Love is winning big its highly doubtful he goes anywhere as long as the Cavs decide they want to pay him the max amount they can.

WTF does winning big mean, if there isn't a championship?

 

[WiggyRuss]

I actually said that James would never play for Gilbert again.
And, in reality, he isn't and never will play for Gilbert.
He was in essence, given free reign to control the teams decision making in every aspect.
He is playing for himself. Gilbert just gets some financial reward which is funny, because he's a billionaire caving into a millionaire.

And before you go into some long winded rebuttal, remember, he allowed T.T. to reject 52M/4.

Nothing more need be said.

your rationalizations are part hilarious, part sad.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

your rationalizations are part hilarious, part sad.

I'll easily counter that you have a strong lack of common sense then.
James would not piss on Gilbert if he was on fire.
James will do whatever benefits HIM ( I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that).
James is an opportunist. James is also one of the most arrogant pricks you will ever run across.
There is no F'n way on Gods green earth that the 'who am I to hold a grudge' EVER comes out of his mouth if he wasn't given/promised the total control that he has.

Pretty funny that for 4+ years James never felt the need to NOT hold that grudge, isn't it?

Funnier yet, you actually think he holds a grudge with Rikey/Arison because they sent Miller packing.

 

[trojanfan12]

They won't be able to play like that against the Spurs or the Griz if they make it to the Finals.

Both those squads have guys that can guard Bron. Nobody is gonna stop him. But, they can slow him down and make him work on both sides of the court.

Meh, Lebron's easy to stop. Just turn off the AC.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Meh, Lebron's easy to stop. Just turn off the AC.

lol...that was actually pretty clever

 

[WiggyRuss]

I'll easily counter that you have a strong lack of common sense then.
James would not piss on Gilbert if he was on fire.
James will do whatever benefits HIM ( I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that).
James is an opportunist. James is also one of the most arrogant pricks you will ever run across.
There is no F'n way on Gods green earth that the 'who am I to hold a grudge' EVER comes out of his mouth if he wasn't given/promised the total control that he has.

Pretty funny that for 4+ years James never felt the need to NOT hold that grudge, isn't it?

Funnier yet, you actually think he holds a grudge with Rikey/Arison because they sent Miller packing.

dude....you need to relax a little bit- however, for the most part, what you are saying has a lot of truth to it...

never in LeBron's career has he gotten close to managment and ownership- whether the first time in Cleveland, in Miami, or now in Cleveland. He has always looked at it as an adversarial relationship in a way. When you court the best player in the world- there is going to be baggage. The inexperienced, mediocre coaches dont get GM duties in their contracts- the great ones with leverage do.

Obviously LeBron has leverage- but to say he has "total control" of the team does not even make sense. Waht do you even mean by total control? you REALLY think he is the GM?- last time in Cleveland he REFUSED to partake in roster decisions when management adamantly tried to get him to do so.

What exactly does LeBron control that someone like Wade or Melo or Durant dont control? LeBron didnt hire the coach- and despite reports about LeBron having doubts about Blatt- and despite Mark Jackson sharing an agent and pretty much openly lobbying for the job- Blatt is secure.

Now if LeBron said- "It is either me or Blatt"- Blatt would go- but that could be said about a number of players in this league.

LeBron left because he thought Arison was getting cheap- and because he thought Wade and Bosh were at an age where it would start getting very hard to compete for a title- and he saw a window to team up with Kyrie and Love- and he knew Gilbert would spend whatever was needed- and he would get a ton of goodwill towards his rep if he wins a title in Cleveland.

What "powers" and "control" does LeBron have that is not afforeded to other stars? his boys on the plane? lol......

if you want to try and rationalize the reasons for LeBron leaving were this imaginary level of control- that in reality is not too much different than half a dozen guys in the league- then you are free to do so- but be sure that the real reasons were he thought Arison was getting cheap, he though Wade and Bosh were getting old, he knows Gilbert will spend whatever, and he could bring his family home and possibly bring cleveland its first title.


please, explain to me this "total control" and some evidence of it being so huge when compared to other guys in the league that get pretty much the same damn thing.

 

[WiggyRuss]

when it comes down to it, Gilbert had something LeBron wanted- a lot of money, the assets to build a roster that could contend for the foreseeable future- and the chance to play and win in his hometown. It was more than anyone else was offering that is for sure.

 

[gordontrue]

The Mavs have not been playing like a western conference playoff team. At this point, with the schedule they have coming up (and NO and OKC breathing down their neck)... they should be worried about making the playoffs.

IMO, the game last night wasn't really a signature win. A solid game but nothing to get overly excited about.

That said, I think the whole "LeBron is settling for outside shots... that's what you want... tip your cap if he makes it" is a bit overused.

Some nights, he definitely gets lost jacking up bad shots. Last night was not one of them. His first 2 threes came on switches where the defender switching on to him went way under the screen and gave him the shot. LeBron is a very good outside shooter. Not elite... but far from someone you just want to let shoot uncontested shots.

After he made those 2 shots in a short time... I was waiting for a couple more heat-checks... he almost always does that after a few made shots. I was pleasantly surprised last night to see him not do that. The next couple possessions the defenders closed out on him and he found Jones for a 3 and Mozgov for an inside bucket.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Yeah, the Mavs suck and when they no longer have a coupon for 50% off Dirk then they will be in even deeper waters. They have to sign Rondo just to stay afloat for the near future.